Research

Translation

Duplicate of 12:7 dated 27 July 1654

Series:
Scanned Document:

Duplicate. July 1654.

Honorable, Prudent, Pious, Beloved, Faithful.

What we have sent your honors with the ships the Vergulde Beer and Schei can also be seen in the accompanying copies, to which we shall refer. Since then the small ship the Goede Hoope has safely arrived here from Curacao (loaded with tobacco, ginger, and a small amount of sugar taken from a certain founderedfluit named the Wijnvat coming from the Caribbean islands) by which we also received, among various books and other papers, two letters from Lucas Rodenburgh, vice director on the aforesaid island, and as we feared that the yacht had been lost on its way to New Netherland, and, as a result, your honors remained ignorant of the true status of these places, we have deemed it appropriate to send your honors hereby copies of the aforesaid letters so your honors can regulate yourselves accordingly all the better. Especially as private parties coming from there have told us that a large quantity of dyewood for a shipload or more was lying ready there on the aforesaid island, for which reason we have considered it all the more necessary to command and order your honors with all seriousness to dispatch a ship there (if it has not already been done) as soon as possible; and in case your honors have sent on our ship the Coninck Salomon with other cargo from there, then see to it that it the dyewood ] is shipped here by some of the ships newly arrived there which shall undoubtedly let themselves be so used, especially if they have a lack of cargo there. Hereby do not neglect either the salt or the wood on the aforesaid island any longer, but have it sent directly here so that the Company does not suffer any more damage and loss.

From the aforesaid copies of letters your honors shall also see, among other things, in what difficulties the islands of Aruba and Buenairo have fallen just for lack of a vessel. And because we are so favorably disposed toward the preservation and maintenance of those places (considering the advantages which New Netherland could draw therefrom), we have deemed it necessary hereby to order your honors, in case our fear is born out and the yacht, aforesaid, has been lost, to buy there another suitable vessel of 18 to 20 lasts and to send it to Curacao, outfitted with an experienced pilot who understands the waters so that the aforesaid islands may be assisted and taken care of from there as is fitting.

Upon the petition of Magdalena Hendricx, who is now going over with her five children, we have seen it fit to allow not only that her husband, named Jan Engelburcht, house carpenter in the service of the Company there, shall be discharged from the aforesaid service, but also that the Company shall transport her and her aforesaid five children over at no cost, provided that the provisions consumed by them in the crossing be deducted and subtracted from the wages which her aforesaid husband might have earned from the Company, whereupon (one or the other persons who are going over now in the same situation and condition) your honors are to take special care of them, sothat the Company's good intentions to promote the population is not impaired.

Upon the request of Touchijn Muysart done as a petition to our session here, we have also resolved, as can be seen by the accompanying copy thereof, to recommend hereby that your honors assist and help promote the same with due justice and equity (and no further), which we commend to your honors' discretion and impartial judgment.

Besides the ten barrels of salted meat, we are also sending over with this ship some clothing and necessities for the soldiers, as can be seen from the accompanying list, which we order and recommend that your honors distribute with prudence and in the most profitable way to those most in need there; and with such advances to charge their accounts as has been previously done there. The rest of the clothing can be expected with the ship, the Gelderse Blom, which is to leave shortly. From the accompanying lists your honors shall also be able to see what provisions have been sent for the boys and girls coming over from the godtshuysen here, of which your honors can now take on as a trial; and your honors are hereby earnestly recommended to help take good care of the same, and to place them there with good masters; or otherwise to employ them, and in such a manner as is best for them and also however it may be judged to be most appropriate in general, which we most highly commend to your honors' awareness and attention.

We have drafted and compiled a list of some necessities for the soldiers regarding the repair of the fortress and other places on the island of Curacao, which goods and necessities shall be sent at once with the ship, the Gelderse Blom by way of New Netherland. In the meanwhile your honors can send the accompanying letters and attachments at the first opportunity to Lucas Rodenburch, vice director on the aforesaid island, whereby we close, Honorable, Prudent, Pious, Beloved, Faithful, commending your honors to God's sacred protection, and remain,

Ab. Wilmerdonx
David van Baerle

Amsterdam the 7th of July 1654.

References

A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.